Alex Fodness joined Bemidji State as the top assistant in 2022-23 after serving as the head coach at Minnesota State Community and Technical College during the 2021-22 season. He enters his fourth season in 2025-26.
The 2024-25 Beaver Men's Basketball went 10-19 overall and 7-15 in the NSIC, earning a spot in the NSIC tournament, taking on St. Cloud State. The Beavers fell to the Huskies, 68-60, in the first round at St. Cloud. John Sutherland was named to the 2024-25 All-NSIC Second team after his senior season propelled him into the top spot in the BSU record book for rebounds (733), second in points (1650) and fifth in assists (290). Sutherland earned a total of five player of the week nods during his career, plus three all-academic team nods, two first team All-NSIC and one second team. In the 2023-24 season, he was named to the D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team.
The 2023-24 team went 13-16 overall and 9-13 in the conference, falling in the first round of the NSIC tournament at Sioux Falls. They entered the season ranking sixth in the NSIC's Preseason Coaches' Poll and finished ninth behind Sioux Falls and ahead of Wayne State, each with matching conference records. John Sutherland and Dalton Albrecht each earned conference player of the week nods during the 23-24 season. Albrecht earned a pair of player of the week nods along with the D2CIDA Men's Basketball Division II Player of the Week on February 13, 2024 after a pair of wins, including a career-high scoring game against Minnesota Crookston. The pair also earned All-NSIC honors.
It was a season to remember for the Beavers during the 2022-23 campaign. Bemidji State jumped out to a 5-1 record and used a strong home record (12-3 inside the BSU Gym) to reach 20 wins in program history for just the third time. As the conference tournament approached, Bemidji State defeated nationally-ranked MSU Moorhead and claimed a win over St. Cloud State to earn a home playoff game in the first round of the NSIC Tournament. The Beavers hosted Augustana and won the hard-fought 92-88 win to advance to the quarterfinals. That's where the 20th win of the season happened against Wayne State and in the process, BSU reached the semifinals for the first time since 2012-13. The magical run ended in the semifinals, but not before the Beavers took MSU Moorhead right to the buzzer with the Dragons escaping with a game-winning shot for the 78-77 victory. John Sutherland was named All-NSIC first team, with Mohamed Kone adding second team accolades. Dalton Albrecht, Sutherland, RJ Smith, Colton Roderick and Jayce Lowman were named to the NABC Honors Court. Lowman, Albrecht, Sutherland and Roderick all earned NSIC All-Academic honors during the winter term.
The Spartans led the NJCCA in opponent turnovers per game (21.3) and ranked third in 3-point field goals made (294), sixth in steals per game (11.5), and 14th in points per game (84.5). Minnesota State C&TC finished the season 9-17 overall and featured one All-Minnesota College Athletic Conference selection.
Prior to joining Minnesota State C&TC, Fodness spent one season as an assistant coach at Independence Community College in Independence, Kan. The Pirates finished the season 13-10 and fell in the quarterfinals of the KJCCC Tournament. Fodness coached two all-conference selections and one NJCCA All-American.
Fodness graduated from South Dakota State University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and earned his master’s degree from SDSU in sport and recreation studies in 2016.
